Vehicle-signal.



J. B. HAWKS & H R. KENNEDY.

VEHICLE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY1'I,111Z.

1,090,302, atented Mar. 17, 1914.

8 is an arm 18 to UNITED STATES rarnnr orritcia.

JOSEPH B. HAWKS AND HOMER. R. KENNEDY, OF LOS ANGEL ES. CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE-SIGNAL.

lie it known that we, Josi-zrn B. HAWKS and llounu It. KENNEDY, citizensof the, tinited States. residing at Los Angeles, in t the county of LosAngeles and State of, ,alil'ornia, have invented a new and useful lVehicle-Signal, of which the following is a l specification. t

This invention relates to a signal adapted l to be placed on a vehicleand operated by the driver or other person aboard the vehiel to indicateto others when the vehicle is about to turn and thereby warn operatorsotother vehicles or people of danger, and thus prevent accidents.

The device is particularly adapted for application to automobiles,although not restricted tosueh vehicles.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation otan automobileequipped with the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the automobile.dotted lines showing warning position of the signals. Fig. 3 is anenlarged plan view of a semaphore. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on linem-a2 Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section through a semaphore on line id--41)", lig. 4.

The device COII'IPI'lSOS an illuminated signal l, pivot-ally supportedupon the guard 2 of the automobile 3. The signal comprises a hollowsemaphore 4-, with transparent side panels 5 one in each side thereof,the panels 5 preferably being colored. Outside of the panels 5 arestencil plates 6, each displaying a warning such, for example, as theWord tin-n. Within the semaphore 4 is an electric light 7. k

The inner end of the semaphore 4 is mountednn a vertical shaft 8 asshown in Fig. 4, the latter being revolubly supported in a vertical tube9, the tube 9 being screwed into a nut 10 which rests on the guard 2,and a nut 11 screwed on the tube 9 bears against the underside of theguard and firmly holds the tube in position. A nut 12 secures one wire13 of the circuit and grounds the wire 13 to the metallic portions otthe device. The shaft 8 is of slightly less diameter than the tube 9 anda coil torsion spring 14 encircles shaft 8 within the tube 9, the upperend 15 of the spring 14 projecting through a slot 16 in the tube 9, andthe lower end 17 of the spring engagin in the shaft 8. On the lowerenehof the sliaft the free end of which is attached a cable 19, whichextends over suit- Specification of Letters Patent. Applicatibn filedJuly 1.". 1912.

Patented Mar. it "1. t tttat. Serial No. 710.072.

able pulleys 2t), 2t and 22 to an arm 9-! which is operated by a pedal25, so that by pushing down on pedal 23, arm .21 will be rocked forwardto pull the cable it) and turn the smnaphore iinto a position at rightangles to the vehicle as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, therebydisplaying the warning signals visible from the front or rear of thevehicle. A toot operated pawl 26 serves to hold the pedal 25 in.theposition set, and when it: is desired that the signal arm return tonormal position, the pawl 526 is operated to release pedal 25, whereuponspring It restores semaphore l to normal position, folded back parallelto the body of the machine. limits the return movement of the. shaft 8and through it the return movement of the semaphore.

One terminal 27 of the. lamp is grounded as shown in Fig. 41, 011 themetal of the se1na phorc 4. The other terminal 28 is connected with wire2!), the latter being insulated from the semaphore and forming the otherside of the circuit. The semaphore t is insulated from the shaft 18 byinsulation 30, and, therefore, normally is not in electrical connectionwith wire 13. A stationary contact: arm 81, shown clearly 'in Figs. 1.and 9., is secured to the tube 5) and projects laterally therefrom, andwhen the semaphore swings into signaling position, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2, the metal portion of the semaphore strikes the arm 31and thus coinpletes electrical connection with the metallic parts whichare in connection with wire 13, thereby establishing circuit through thelamp and illuminating. the semaphore, calls ing the words turn to beclearly visible. The wires 13 and 29 are respectively eonncctcd with abattery Thus if the per-- son driving the vehicle intends to turn to theleft, he will operate the left-haml sys tem of-conneetions which willswing the left-hand semaphore into signaling position and indicate thathe is about to turn to the left, and after he has turned to the left, hereleases the signal, permitting it to return to normal position. If heintends to turn to the right, he operates the signal on the righthandside instead of the left-hand side, in like manner.

What we claim is:

A vehicle signal comprising a vertical tube, upper and lower nuts, ashaft, mounted in the tube, having an arm secured to its lower A pin 50working in a 90 slot, i

end, a spring surrounding the shaft and having its ends secured to thetube and shaft respectively, a pedal having an arm, a flexibleconnection between said arm of the shaft and said arm of the pedal, acontact arm secured to the tube, a semaphore of conduct ing materialsecured to the upper end of the shaft and adapted to contact with saideontaot arm, an electric lamp Within the sema phore, having terminals,one of which is electrically connected to the semaphore a battery, aWire connected at one end with the 1 battery and at the other end to thelower nut, and I second Wire connected at one end to the battery and atthe other end to the 16 other terminal of the lamp. i

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles,California this 11th day of July 1912.

JosEPn B. HAWKS.

HOMER RKENNEDY.

In presence of? GEO. T. HACKLEY,

MART A M. LANGE.

